GAME DAY: WOMEN'S HOCKEY HOMECOMING GAMES VS. COLGATE, SYRACUSE

THE MATCHUPS
The third-ranked University of New Hampshire
women’s ice hockey team, which opened the season with a pair
of victories last weekend, plays a pair of home games as part of
Homecoming Weekend, Oct. 9-10. The Wildcats play host to Colgate
(0-0-0) on Friday (7 p.m.) and Syracuse (0-2-0) on Saturday (5
p.m.).

UNH has a 4-1-0 lifetime record,
including last year’s 5-4 road loss, against Colgate. The
‘Cats have won all three meetings at the Whittemore Center
(2005, 5-1; 2006, 7-0; 2008, 1-0) and have outscored the Raiders by
a 21-7 margin in the five previous games.

In last year’s matchup (Nov.
29), UNH entered the third period trailing 4-2 and, despite
recording a 34-2 shot advantage in the third period, lost 5-4. The
Wildcats pulled within 4-3 in the ninth minute but the Raiders
reestablished a two-goal advantage with 5:35 remaining. UNH went on
a power play –and pulled goaltender Kayley Herman for an
extra skater – to give the ‘Cats a two skater advantage
at 17:35, then scored at 18:27 to trim the deficit to 5-4. Herman
was pulled again with 80 seconds to play, but Colgate –
mostly goalie Kimberly Sass – fended off the late flurry.
Sass had 32 saves in the third period and 43 overall.

The teams skated to a scoreless
first period, then Colgate took one-goal leads of 1-0 and 2-1 in
the second before netting power-play goals 12 seconds apart to
build a 4-2 advantage.

Saturday afternoon’s game
will mark the first between the New Hampshire and Syracuse
women’s ice hockey programs.

THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
Dating back to last season, UNH has won 15
consecutive regular-season games. The Wildcats closed the 2009
regular season with 13 consecutive wins and have opened ‘10
with two victories.
Staying within the realm of regular season
play, UNH has not lost at the Whittemore Center since Nov. 11, 2007
(2-1 to Princeton). Since that game, the ‘Cats are 23-0-4 at
home in regular-season games –that includes 9-0-1 against
non-league opponents.
UNH’s penalty kill was a perfect 6-for-6
in each of its first two games. The power play has converted 1 of 8
opportunities this season.

IT HAPPENED HERE
FIRST
A quartet of UNH freshmen recorded their first
career point in last weekend’s action against UConn and
Quinnipiac at the Whittemore Center.

Bryanna Farris, Kristina Lavoie and
Brittany Skudder each tallied an assist in the opener vs. UConn.
Farris also tallied an assist vs. QU and Skudder scored her first
career goal in that game against the Bobcats.

Kristine Horn recorded her first
collegiate point with a goal vs. Quinnipiac, and Molly Morrison (a
junior transfer from Vermont) tallied her first point as a UNH
Wildcat with an assist.

HERMAN RECORDS SHUTOUT AND ASSIST
Junior goaltender Kayley Herman has two career
assists, and both have come in shutout performances. Herman
recorded her second career assist Oct. 4 vs. Quinnipiac when a long
outlet pass through the neutral zone led to a Brittany Skudder
goal. She also made 13 saves in the 4-0 victory, which marked her
12th career shutout. Herman tallied her first career assist (on the
game-winning goal) Jan. 10, 2008 in a 6-0 victory at Northeastern
University. She made eight saves in that game.

SEASON TICKETS ON
SALE
Season tickets for the women’s hockey
team are on sale now. At $30 for 17 games, that’s a cost of
$1.76 per game. The Wildcats open the 2009-10 season with six
consecutive home games in October.